SAINT-JEROME, Que. — A psychiatrist testifying for the defence at Guy Turcotte's first-degree murder trial says the ex-doctor killed his kids as an act of homicidal altruism.
Louis Morissette took the stand today for a second day of cross-examination by the Crown.
Morissette testified Turcotte acted out of homicidal altruism because the doctor killed his kids in February 2009 to prevent them from witnessing his eventual suicide, but the psychiatrist adds that logic was faulty and the result of a sick mind.
Turcotte has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the slayings of his son, Olivier, 5, and his daughter Anne-Sophie, 3.
His lawyers are arguing the 43-year-old former cardiologist should be found not criminally responsible by way of mental disorder.
Morissette and prior defence witness, psychiatrist Dominique Bourget, concur that Turcotte was suffering from a suicidal crisis after the end of his marriage, which led him to drink windshield washer fluid the night he killed his two kids.
Crown prosecutor Rene Verret accused the witness of trying to minimize the effect drinking windshield fluid — which contains the toxic substance methanol — had on Turcotte.
Morissette replied the primary factors triggering Turcotte's actions were his troubled mental state and his suicidal thoughts and the methanol consumption was a marginal factor.
